Free Waiting in the Shadows by Trish Moran Page A

Non-Lab life, are you?’
    She sighed, ‘I just want to do anything I can to help.’
    He clicked his tongue, ‘I’ve never felt I needed help from a Non-Lab.’
    She went back into the kitchen and made a second coffee for herself and handed one to Abel, who took it from her ungraciously.
    â€˜Say “Thank you very much for the coffee!”’ Ruby told him firmly. ‘Your first lesson on living in the Non-Lab world! Good manners!’
    They both stood glaring at each other. Finally a look of amusement flickered across Abel’s eyes.
    â€˜Thank you very much for the coffee, Ruby,’ he said.
    â€˜You’re welcome!’ she replied, turning and leaving the room.
    Later that day, Abel was dismissive of the new clothes and items Dette had bought with Celia.
    â€˜If we are to merge in with Non-Labs, we have to look the part!’ Celia told him sharply.
    â€˜Where does the money come from?’ he asked her.
    â€˜It is paid monthly from funds from the Centre,’ Celia replied. ‘I transfer various amounts from several accounts under different expense headings. Then it’s filtered through several other accounts before it reaches the individual accounts I set up. So there’s no way it can be traced to us.’
    â€˜Won’t they begin to notice money going missing as you set up more and more accounts, Celia?’ Keith looked worried.
    â€˜I can easily cover up to five million per year. I would be nervous about going over that, though,’ she replied. ‘And I have a separate portfolio for our shares. Making a nice profit too!’
    â€˜Have you been studying the stocks and shares, too?’ Dette asked her.
    â€˜Not really. I don’t take any risks. I just hack into the companies that look promising,’ Celia admitted.
    Dette looked at her admiringly. ‘I have so much to learn from you, Celia! We must make out a budget for the new homes we are to set up. Abe … l, come and look at our plan for the students to go to Manchester, to study music. Celia and I were thinking of the twins, Min and Jay, and Saf. We thought the boys Url and Pel could live happily with them. All their subscribers are musicians. We will set up the second group as soon as Ruby feels they are settled.
    â€˜We have decided on two houses in London as the second group. They will live near each other, so they can communicate easily. And Ruby can get to see them too,’ Celia continued. ‘We have chosen Zaf, Oll, and Peg and Joe for the first house, and Ben, Dil, Lok, Hal, Cal, and Fay in the second house. They will study European Government and Politics.’
    â€˜That’s fourteen Labs at once!’ Ruby looked pleased.
    â€˜With five hundred freed Labs and six released on average weekly, that doesn’t sound so good, does it?’ Abel said, the sneer returning to his face as he looked at her. ‘And don’t forget, the Nursery Ward is being replenished daily!’
    â€˜Where do you get … the replacements for the Labs, now, Abel?’ Keith asked him.
    He shrugged, ‘Things were getting difficult nearby; but Fil discovered a new source: Brookwash Open Prison. So far we’ve made it look like the men have escaped, so we haven’t been associated with them at all yet.’
    He gave a laugh as he added, ‘We’ve reintroduced the death penalty for Non-Labs!’

    Ruby walked quickly up the steep hillside. Since she had joined the Lab household, she had become much fitter. She sighed. She wished her mind felt in such good shape. Abel’s joke about the death penalty for Non-Labs had left a bad taste in her mouth. It was hard to condone the killing of others, even those who had committed crimes against their own society.
    She sat down with her back against a stone wall and looked out at the landscape stretched out before her. It was a beautiful summer’s day. The sky was a perfect blue with